I hope you’ll read the series. While the subject matter deals with a catastrophic event, it’s a story of hope, love, community, renewal and friendship. And, just in case I haven’t yet convinced you to read and stick with the series, here are my Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Read the Fire Series:
Top 5 Reasons to read The Fire Series
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It could happen to you. We all think that tragedies and major catastrophic events happen to others. Well, it’s not often we go through life without something that rocks our world.
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Emergency Preparedness. If you don’t already have your emergency plan in place, this story will probably be the final kicker to get that project “off the shelf” and into place. If you haven’t already done so, this story will hopefully motivate you to discuss emergency preparedness with your family and develop back-up plans for multiple contingencies on many levels.
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The story is full of observations on many levels that I never contemplated before the fire (again with the “before the fire”!). You probably haven’t either.
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If you haven’t already done so, it might motivate you to photograph or video your house and belongings and place that video and/or the photographs someplace offsite or in some sort of cloud service. And, it will hopefully motivate you to back-up your computer and precious family photographs and store that information in some sort of cloud service.
- This story will show you that compassion still surrounds us and that most people (I’d like to think the majority) are kind and generous.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post: Chapter One – The Valley That Time Forgot.
Baby Princess P in her black dress
The above photo is Princess P in the dress I made her and finished just days before the fire. Tiffany and Chris were going to an October wedding whose colors were black and orange. As members of the wedding party, they wanted their 3-month old daughter to be dressed for the occasion, but finding a black party dress for an infant girl proved impossible. So, Tiffany asked me to make it. Tiffany didn’t know that I’d never made an infant’s dress before. All Tiffany knew was that I taught her to sew when she was 11 or 12 and that her Aunt Carole could “do anything.” I struggled and struggled with that dress – the sleeves were so tiny! And, I couldn’t find a pattern for such a small dress. And, Tiffany and family lived in Arizona at the time, so I didn’t have Princess P as a model! So, Tiffany measured every little part of Princess P’s body and I bought the smallest pattern I could find and cut it down based on Tiffany’s measurements. The only thing that didn’t fit were the little panties that I made – they were way too small! But, Tiffany found tights.
Coco in our old farmhouse
Top row: Left photo – Coco in our old farmhouse kitchen, just hanging out and keeping me company. Right photo – Coco playing with his “Midnight Crazies” balls – his favorite toy. This picture, too, is before the fire in 2007. He’s on top of a sofa table made from an old door. I loved that piece of furniture and found it in a consignment store and just had to have it! We’d only had it for a few months before the fire.
Middle row: Left photo – my blue-eyed boys: Charlie and baby Coco (circa: 2006) in the living room of our old farmhouse. Middle photo – Coco sawing zzzz’s on the back of the couch in our old farmhouse living room prior to October 2007. Right photo – me and Coco in the kitchen – prior to 2007.
Bottom row: Left photo – Coco sawing zzzz’s in front of our living room screen door just before the fire in the fall of 2007. Right photo – Coco sleeping on the staircase in our old farmhouse prior to the fire.
The Princesses P on a fire truck
I remember the fires very distinctly. We had just come back from our honeymoon (the wedding that adorable dress was for) and had a day or two to spend in San Diego before driving home to LA. The smoke and ash was far to thick in Carmel Mountain, so the newly combined families got together at my parent’s house in Westwood. We even sat outside and enjoyed the weather. Just hours later, around 2 am, my parents were evacuating that same house we had just been celebrating. My mom even packed a car full of our wedding gifts to save, but as they drove out of the neighborhood seeing nearly every home engulfed in flames on the neighboring street, they decided to turn back and leave a car to stay together. Thanks to the SD Firefighters, their home was saved, but we spent days not knowing the outcome.
Hi, Elizabeth: yes, indeed, it was your wedding for which I made the Princess P’s dress! I can’t even imagine how that felt, seeing all those homes in flames as you are evacuating the neighborhood. I completely understand your parents’ need to “stay together.” And, yes, many thanks to the thousands of firefighters and military personnel who were here fighting these fires with no reprieve for 10 solid days. I know there are thousands of families in San Diego County who are grateful to them to this day. Thanks for sharing your story.
I know this has been hard for you to write. I hope it has helped in the healing process. Love you! Kathy
Thanks, Kathy. As you know, our new house is quite fabulous. And, I love this new house. But, I loved the old house maybe more. It represents a lifetime for Charlie, it’s where we moved when we returned from our honeymoon, it’s where we had Easter egg hunts for our nieces and nephews, it’s where were went on long walks through corn fields and watermelon patches, it’s where we went on “treasure” hunts with nieces and nephews, and many “firsts” occurred there: our first Christmas tree, our first dog, our first Thanksgiving for family, our first party as a married couple – the list is long. It had quirks and “hidy holes”, no heat or air-conditioning, and maybe even a ghost (according to Charlie’s youngest brother, who lived their as a very small child with a big imagination). But, it was our home. And, I miss it to this day.
What a beautiful place, and I’m so sorry it’s lost, along with so much of your things within it.
I had friends who lost homes in the 2003 and the 2007 fires, and it’s a heartrending and breaking thing.
I’m glad you are beyond it, and stronger, and writing to out the incredible emotion you still must feel.
Thanks, Deb. It’s been very cathartic to write this series, but I’m still surprised that I cry, even 5 years later. Thanks for reading our blog.
I can’t wait for your next post! I live in North County… we were evacuated for days, and our house was dirty but still standing! I can’t believe it’s been 5 years. I remember it like it was yesterday…
Heather: thanks for your comments. It does seem like yesterday, doesn’t it? Thanks, too, for following the series – your support means so much to me. And, I love your site, too, and look forward to spending time there and finding some good deals!
We live in San Diego and this brings chilling memories for me. Although we evacuated our area for 3 days, we were lucky and didn’t lose our house. My 2nd child’s preschool teacher did and we rallied around her and donated furniture, gift cards, whatever we could to help her out. Every October I get a little nervous when the weather turns hot. I’m thankful for this uncommon soggy October weekend. I will definitely be reading your series.
Thanks so much, Laura, for your comments. There are so many “fire stories” in our county. Every citizen of this county was impacted in some way (and I believe we have at least 2,000,000 people in our county?). And, the ones that didn’t have losses, such as yourself, reached out in multiple ways to so many people offering support on so many levels – just like you and your family. A very heartfelt “thank you” from me for doing what you did. You will probably never fully understand the impact you had on your child’s preschool teacher’s life and your generous spirit, I’m sure, lifted her through some very dark moments.
P.S. I love your site and look forward to exploring it more!
Wow, Carole. I am already crying and the series hasn’t even really started yet. I will be keeping up with your posts and sending you my love during this time. I am proud of you for finding the strength to write about that devastating loss. Love and light.
Mary: Many thanks for following this series. Your support means the world to me. As a San Diego girl, you too know and understand the full impact of that time in all of ours lives. Thank for your support, love and mentorship. It means so much to both Tiffany and me.